Description of Work:
Following Angola's independence from Portugal in 1975 Santos began a career in the Peoples Police Corps of Angola becoming a division head in 1978.

In 1981 he moved to the ministry of the interior becoming Deputy Minister in 1984.

The following year he was elected a member of the MPLA-Workers party congress, given the rank of colonel in the Angolan military and later becoming a member of the People's Assembly, beginning a succession of appointments to government ministerial posts.